Image Partners With Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

In a major coup, resurgent Image Entertainment Aug. 30 said it has inked a multiyear deal with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to allow the studio to manufacture and distribute all of its Blu-ray Disc and DVD releases. Separately, Sony agreed to license an undisclosed number of titles to Image for distribution.

Classic titles in the agreement include Sydney Pollack’s Absence of Malice (with Paul Newman and Sally Field), And Justice for All (directed by Norman Jewison and starring Al Pacino), and Adaptation (directed by Spike Jonze, with Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper).

In addition, the deal affords Chatsworth, Calif.-based Image, which has slowly re-emerged from near bankruptcy to near profitability under new ownership and management, access to SPHE’s traditional accounts and non-traditional distribution channels.

“This agreement allows us to take advantage of their state-of-the-art retail systems while retaining control of sales and marketing,” said Image CEO Ted Green. “It also gives us additional quality product to distribute.”